Display book

ABSTRACT

A display book that can be added to or subtracted from by the addition or removal of individual plastic holding units is provided. Stiff plastic pages designed to carry textile samples are fastened in the holding units by simply bending their edges greater than 90*. The holding units have a pair of bores for receiving a flexible plastic lock member. The plastic lock member also attaches the covers to the book and if desired a pair of locking lid members.

United States Patent 1191 Feldhusen et al.

[ Feb. 26, 1974 DISPLAY BOOK 3,191,319 6/1965 Waisgerben 35/49 [75] in nJohann Feldhusen Bremen; Canton 3,514,875 6/1970 Howard 35/55 Langhorst,Lilienthal, both of Germany Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell AssistantExaminer-J. H. Wolff 4 73 A581 nee: Carsten Langhorst l 1 gEinstmannstrasse, bermany Attorney, Agent, or Fzrm-Sughrue, Rothwell,Mion, Zmn & Macpeak [22] Filed: Feb. 22, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 2284002ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data v A display book thatcan be added to or subtracted June 12, 1971 Germany P 21 29 317.4 fromby the addition or removal of individual plastic July 7, 1971 Germany P2] 33 670.9 holding units is provided Stiff plastic pages designed tocarry textile samples are fastened in the holding [52] US. Cl. 40/102units by simply bending their edges greater than 9 [51] Int. Cl. G09f11/06 The holding units have. a pair of bores for receiving a [58] Fieldof Search 40/ 102; 35/49, 55 flexible plastic lock member. The masticlockmember also attaches the covers to the book and if desired a [56]References C'ted pair of locking lid members.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,460,282 8/1969 Swirsky 40/102 14 Claims, 11Drawing Figures if if 2 5 11 51/1 11 Dy M I I\ W 12 y 7 ll -/0 I! 1 24I23 /7 1 lid r m 10 I [in I]; I20 4 1M I]! )W T lie s l2) 1 ml 11/ w x/A PMENTEBFEBIZSHH SHEET 5 OF 5 S Qu 1 DISPLAY BOOK BACKGROUND OF Tl-IEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to asample book with a plurality of swingably interconnected holding unitsor rails, each of which is designed for the reception of at least oneleaf-like stiff carrier for samples.

2. Description of the Prior Art Such'sample books areused predominantlyfor the presentation of textile samples, especially floor coverings. Itis customary to attach several smaller or larger samples on one samplecard, respectively, and to attach the latter in holding devices orretaining rails. Several such retaining rails are usually connected witheach other swingably to form a sample book.

It is known in the prior art to provide a sample book in which theindividual plastic retaining rails are connected with each other, alongthe back walls of the sample cards, in each case, by conventional hingeswhich are secured at the corners of the retaining rails. At theircomers, the retaining rails are in each case provided with hingesegments which are at an interval from each other and which engage theintervals between the hinge segments of the neighboring retaining rail.A hinge pin, which passes through or penetrates the coaxially locatedhinge segments of two neighboring retaining rails, holds the tworetaining rails together in'a swingable manner. The design thuscorresponds to g a hinge which is customary-in lids, flaps and the like.

The disadvantage of this known hinge connection consists in the factthat the production and assembly of the units are comparativelyexpensive. The hinge segments must be worked in a very neat manner andmust be fashioned so that they will exactly fit together in order thatthe hinge pins may be introduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is based on the task of providinga sample book consisting of individual, swingably interconnected holdingunits, a book which will have the simplest possible structure andhandling, and in which the individual parts can be easily exchanged andwhere additional parts can be easily added inorder to enlarge theexisting sample book. Likewise the production costs are reduced, incomparison to known sample books. v

A sample book according to the present invention is characterized by thefact that the holding units are assembled into a block, at the backwalls facing away from the samples or sample cards, by means ofindividual, elastically deformable joint strips which can connect two,neighboring holding units with each other. The joint strip can beconnected with each of these neighboring holding units in various ways.According to one preferred feature of the invention, however, this isdone in a form-locking manner.

The joint strips, which along their edges are provided with bulge-likethickenings, are received in a formlocking manner, in grooves positionedat the corners of the holding units, with the inside cross-section ofthese grooves having a bulge-like widening. The joint strips arepositioned into the grooves in the longitudinal direction of the holdingunits.

A sample book designed in this fashion has an extremely simple structureand is simple to produce because it consists exclusively of extrudedparts. The assembly is likewise very simple because there is nodifficulty in drawing the joint strips into the grooves of theneighboring retaining rails. By means of this arrangement, as well asbecause of the flexibility of the joint strips, the sample book can behandled in such a way that every individual sheet can be swung by aboutwith respect to the neighboring one.

Further features of the invention concern the structure of the holdingunit as well as of the joint strips and the anchoring of the individualsample cards in the holding unit.

Furthermore, the invention is intended to connect the lid parts flexiblywith each other in a particularly advantageous manner, morespecifically, in such a fashion that individual lid parts, such as, forexample, the grasping flap and/or the folding flap are arranged flexiblyand in an easily exchangeable fashion, so that they can be adapted tothe particular thickness of the sample book without difiiculties.

To this extent, a cover portion is characterized by lid parts which areflexibly arranged by means of elastically deformable joint strips, whichare known in themselves, and which serve to cover the sample cards withthe samples as well as the holding units, whereby the joint strips areanchored with thickenings provided at their edges in a form-lockingmanner and are anchored movably in the grooves of the parts which are tobe connected.

These features according to the present invention achieve a greatadvantage in that the lid parts can be connected reliably and durablywith each other in a particularly simple, inexpensive manner, but thatthe connection nevertheless can be easily separated and that there istherefore a possiblity of adapting the lid parts, in accordance with theparticular variable dimensions of the sample book, especially in keepingwith its particular thickness.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a special way of connectingthe individual lid parts among each other and with the holding unitsforthe sample card with the samples, the retaining rails being provided atthe back edge of the book. I

. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further details are explained morethoroughly below with the help of the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a part of a sample book according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a sample book according'to FIG. 1, in the opened state;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of an individual holding unit according to theinvention;

FIG. 4 is another holding unit, likewise in cross-- to. FIG. 8;

FIG; 10 is a cross-section of a closed sample book; and

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The book of the presentinvention consists of a plurality of sample cards made of stiff cards orthe like, which are provided, each with one or more textile samples 11,for example floor coverings or flooring tiles. The sample cards areanchored with one edge, in each case, in a holding unit 12a through 12f.The holding units 12a, 12b, etc., are generally in the shape ofelongated rectangular parallelepiped and are swingably connected witheach other in such a manner that the group of swingable holding units,connected next to each other, will be combined into a block-likestructure. Preferably, each holding unit 12a, 12b, etc., serves for thereception of one sample card 10.

The holding units 12a, 12b, etc., are so connected with the particularneighboring retaining rails that they can be swung toward each other byabout 180. This makes it possible for every sample card 10, in otherwords, every page of the book, to be opened up completely into aposition according to FIG. 2; in other words, without deformation of thesample cards 10. In the example illustrated here, this is accomplishedby having the neighboring holding units 12a, 12b, etc., in each caseconnected with each other by means of flexible joint strips 13a, throughl3e. These joint strips 13a, 13b, etc., engage units 12a, 12b, etc. Forthis purpose, the retaining rails are made with grooves 14 and 15 whichpreferably run over the entire length of these rails (see especiallyFIGS. 3 and 4). The grooves 14 and 15 are in each case arranged atthecorners of the back walls 16 of the holding units 12a, 12b, etc., or,in other words, at the interface of the back walls 16, with the walls 24and 25. Looking at it in a cross-section, grooves 14 and 15 are directedin .one direction at an angle of 45 with respect to the adjoiningsurfaces of the holding units 12a, 12b, etc. The grooves 14 and 15 areso designed that there will develop undercuttings for the form-lockingreception of the joint strips 13a, 13b, etc., which are provided withcorresponding protrusions.

The specially illustrated example can be seen from a joint strip 13a,13b, etc., according to FIG. 6, in which two lateral heads 17 and 18having circular crosssection are connected with each other by means ofan elastic bar 19. In its middle, the bar has a cross-section reduction20, in order to facilitate the bending or folding in this area. Thejoint strip 13a, 13b, etc., is preferably made by extrusion frompolypropylene. The crosssection reduction 20 is produced by, forexample, stretching in the lateral direction of the joint strip.

As may be seen in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, a narrow, slitlike passage 21 inthe holding units and cover rails for the reception of bar 19, adjoins acircular cross-section opening 22 for the reception of a head 17 or 18of the joint strips 13a, 13b, etc. The cross-section of the slitlikepassage 21 of grooves 14 and 15 corresponds, each, to roughly half thecross-section of the heads '17, 18 of the joint strip 13a, 13b, etc. Themounted position of the joint strips 13a, 13b, etc., can be seenparticularly from FIGS. 1 and 2. Y

The holding unit 12a, 12b, etc., are preferably made as clamp rails. Bymeans of a front wall 23, which is 'opposite the back wall 16, aswell asthe bottom wall 24 and a cover wall 25, a through-going hollow space 26is enclosed, in which the sample card 10 is anchored, preferably in aform-locking and force-locking manner. The sample card 10 enters thehollow space 26 via a slit 27 and it is there fixed by means of afolded-over edge strip 28 which is pointed at an acute angle toward thesample card 10. The double edge 29, which is formed by the edge strip 28with the sample card 10 and which faces toward the back wall 16, seatsagainst the back wall 16 and is secured by a short catch or stud 30which protrudes away from the back wall 16. The free edge 31 of the edgestrip 28 rests against the front wall 23 as well as the cover wall 25.In a holding unit having a greater thickness-for particularly high-napsamplesthere is provided, at the front wall 23, a special catch 32 forthe placement of the free edge 31 of the edge strip 28 (FIG. 4). a

The front wall 23 presses against the topside of the sample card 10 andthus constitutes an additional, force-locking retention.

Since all recesses, depressions and protrusions go through the entirelength of the holding units 12a, 12b, etc., the latter can be made by anextrusion pressing from a continually extruded strand.

The holding units 12a, 12b, etc., which are combined into a book arecovered on the outside-that is, on top and below with particularly stiffbook covers 33 and 34. These are likewise swingable individually withrespect to the neighboring holding units 12a, and respectively, 12f. Forthis purpose, book covers 33 and 34 are in each case attached to thecover rails 35 and 36 which are connected, in the previously describedmanner, by joint strips 13x and 13y with the neighboring holding units12a and 12f.

Although the previously described arrangement of the sample card in theholding units 12a, 12b, etc., provides adequate security, in most cases,against the longitudinal shifting of the sample card 10 in holding units12a, 12b, etc., additional holding or securing may be provided. FIG. 7illustrates one version of an additional securing device. Accordingly,there is provided, in the bottom wall 24 of retaining rail 12, atleast'one knublike rise 40, which for example, can be molded. In thearea of this knub-like rise 40, the sample card 10 is provided with afitting borehole 41 so that the sample card 10 will be fixed inposition, in a form-locking manner, by rise 40.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show one version of a device for securing the sample card10 against shifting; here the sample card 10 remains unchanged. This ismade possible by projections 42, which are arranged on the ends of theretaining rail 12 and on which the end edges of the sample card 10 arepositioned. It is practical to arrange, on both ends of the retainingrails 12, such projections 42 which can be made by a simple working ofthe plastic,

for example, by pressing with a heated pin in case of thermoplasticsynthetic materials.

FIG. 10 shows how, on the book closing side 47, indi vidual cover railsare connected with each other and on the ridge side 39 of the book withholding units 12a,-

12f, in a flexible manner.

The cover parts are upper book cover 33, lower book cover 34, graspingflap 43 and folding flap 44. In FIG. 10 the grasping flap 43 with handle46 is flexibly arranged on the upper book cover 33, and the folding flap44 is flexibly arranged on the lower book cover 34, in each case, withjoint strips 132. The grasping flap 43 and the folding flap 44 can beclosed or locked by means of press-button 45.

The upper book cover 33 is guided along the holding unit 12a by means ofjoint strip 13y and the lower book cover 34 is guided along the holdingunit 12f by means of joint strip 13x.

For purposes of the simple design of cover parts 33, 34, 43, 44, theseparts are attached in the cover rails 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40. Thesecover rails 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 are provided with grooves 14 (seeFIGS. 5 and These grooves 14 run along the entire length of the coverrails 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40.

With heads l7, 18, provided at their edges, joint strips 13x, y. zengage in a form-locking and movable fashion, in groove 14 of the partsthat are to be connected. In this way, the cover parts are arrangedflexi bly and in an easily exchangeable manner. It is possible toexchange every one of the cover parts 33 to 40 and to replace them withcover parts adapted to the particular thickness and/or height and/orwidth.

The sample book can also be so made that the lock, for example, thepress-button 45, is provided between the folding flap44 and a bookcover, for example, the upper book cover 33. In this case, which is notillustrated in the drawing, the grasping flap 43 would, with its lowerend, be flexibly connected by means of joint strip 132 with the lowerbook cover 34 and the folding flap 44 would be flexibly connected bymeans of joint strip l3z with the upper end of the grasping flap 43.

In a modified sample book according to FIG. 11, the holding units 12a,12b, etc. are connected with each other in the above manner described byjoint strips 13a, 131), etc. The modification resides in the relativeposition of the retaining rails which cooperate in pairs. Thecross-section of these rails is unsymmetrical in as much as the slit 27,for the passage of the sample cards 10a,

10b, etc., is located outside the longitudinal median plane of theretaining rails 12a, 12b, etc., that is to say, right next to the bottomwall 24. In the versions according to FIGS. l-IO, the holding units 12a,12b, etc., are so arranged in relative position ith respect to eachother that the sample cards 10a, lllb, etc., will be at equal intervalsfrom each other. In the arrangement ac cording to FIG. 1 1, two eachholding units 12a and 12b, and respectively 12c and 12d, are soconnected with each other that the slits 27 and thus the sample cards10a, 10b, etc., are at a maximum interval from each other. The samplecards 10a, 10b, respectively, 10c, 10d, here are turned toward eachother with their display sides. The advantage of this arrangementconsists in the fact that a larger interval is formed between two samplecards, for example, between the two sample cards 10a and 10b of theretaining rails 12a and 12b. This larger interval is suited forabsorbing particularly high, respectively, three-dimensional samples 52.This sample book according to FIG. 11 thus is suited forthree-dimensional samples 52 of all kinds.

In the exampleshown in FIG. 11, the neighboring sample cards, which arelocated at a distance from each other, ,are provided at the displaysides facing each other, with molded depressions which, for example, areformed by an all-around frame 50a and 50b. The depressions in theindividual sample cards 10a, 10b, etc., which are enclosed by this frame50a and 50b, supplement each other in pairs, when the sample book isclosed, so as to form corresponding hollow spaces in the thickness ofthe interval between the sample cards.

6 Here, frames 50a and 50b can have the same height, as in the case ofthe holding units 12a and 12b. But is is also possible to providediffering frame heights, such as, for example, in the case of holdingunits 12c and- Three-dimensional samples 52 can be placed on the lowersample card 10b which is associated with holding unit 12b, while samplecard 10a which cooperates with sample card 10b of holding unit 12a isprovided with a cushion layer 51, for example, made of synthetic foammaterial.

The depressions in sample cards 10a, 10b, etc., can also be formed .bysynthetic foil which is molded into the depressions by deep-drawing.

What is claimed is:

1. A display book adapted to hold a plurality of page members and to beopened in the same way as a normal book having a spine and covers, saiddisplay book comprising:

l. a plurality of holding units generally in the shape of elongatedrectangular parallelepipeds, each of which holding units v a. has afirst face adapted to form the spine of said display book in a mannertobe recited,

b. has a second face located opposite to said first face and adapted tohold at least one page member in a position extending therefrom,

c. has two oppositely located lateral faces connecting said first andsecond faces, and

d. has two longitudinal grooves therein, each of which is located at ornear the interface of said first face with each of said opposed lateralfaces, respectively, and each of which longitudinal grooves is broaderinternally of said holding unit than it is at the surface thereof; and

2. a plurality of elastically deformable joint strips each of whichcomprises an intermediate bar-like central portion and opposed headportions which are broader than the intermediate bar-like centralportion, and each of which joint strips interconnects two adjacentholding units by having the opposed head portions thereof matinglyengaged in the broader internal portions of the adjacent grooves on saidadjacent holding units, each of said holding units being engaged by atleast two of said joint strips, one in either groove thereof, in theabove-recited manner,

whereby said holding units may be held together with their lateral facesabutting and their first faces forming a spine or may be pivoted so thatthe first face of at least one of said holding units abuts against thefirst face of at least one other of said holding units, allowing aplurality of the adjoining pages held by said holding units to besuccessively swung in the same direction about 180 with respect to eachother in the manner of a normal book.

2. A display book as in claim 1 wherein said elastically deformablejoint strips are releasab ly mounted on said holding units, whereby thenumber of holding units in said display book can be easily varied.

3. A display book as in claim 1 wherein page members may be positionedwithin said holding units and bent greater than to lock said pagemembers in place.

4. A display book as in claim 3 where the holding units have protrudingstuds for seating the bent portion of the page member.

5. A display book as in claim 1 wherein each of said holding unitscomprises a base portion and a pair of flexible legs, one of said legshaving a cross-sectional L shape.

6. A display book as in claim 5 wherein said flexible L leg has aprotruding stud portion on the base of the L and said page members arepositioned within said holding units and are bent greater than 90 tolock the page member in place by engaging the end of the page memberwith said stud portion.

7. A display book as in claim 5 wherein the one of said pair of flexiblelegs which does not have a cross sectional L shape is straight and saidstraight leg has a locking stud thereon adapted to engage a hole in oneof said page members.

8. A display book as in claim 5 wherein at least one of said holdingunits further includes a pair of lip members for engaging one of saidpage members.

9. A display book as in claim 5 wherein said holding units are arrangedso that said L shaped legs are staggered with respect to each other.

10. A display book as in claim 5 wherein said holding units arepositioned so that the L shaped legs of each holding unit are facinganother L shaped leg of another holding unit.

11. A display book as in claim 1 further including a pair of covermembers respectively fastened to each end of a' plurality of holdingunits and a latch member capable of interconnecting the cover members atthe free end of the page members.

12. A display book as in claim 11 wherein said latch member includes apair of lid members pivotally fastened respectively to each covermember.

13. A display book as in claim 12 wherein one lid member is releasablyfastened to the other lid member.

14. A display book as in claim 12 wherein one lid member has a handleportion.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 9 758Dated February 28, 1974 1nveg1tor S Johann FELDHUSEN et a1 It iscertified that error appears in the above -identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Please add the attached Figure 11 of the drawings to the patent:

This was err onously omitted during printing, as noted. by the attached'Letter from the Office of Publications.

Signed arid sealed this 3rd day of December 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSONJR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer. Commissioner ofPatents FORM PO-1050 (10-69) uscoMM-Dc 60376-P69 u.s. GOVERNMENTPRINTING OFFICE: was o-aes-su.

1. A display book adapted to hold a plurality of page members and to beopened in the same way as a normal book having a spine and covers, saiddisplay book comprising:
 1. a plurality of holding units generally inthe shape of elongated rectangular parallelepipeds, each of whichholding units a. has a first face adapted to form the spine of saiddisplay book in a manner to be recited, b. has a second face locatedopposite to said first face and adapted to hold at least one page memberin a position extending therefrom, c. has two oppositely located lateralfaces connecting said first and second faces, and d. has twolongitudinal grooves therein, each of which is located at or near theinterface of said first face with each of said opposed lateral faces,respectively, and each of which longitudInal grooves is broaderinternally of said holding unit than it is at the surface thereof; and2. a plurality of elastically deformable joint strips each of whichcomprises an intermediate bar-like central portion and opposed headportions which are broader than the intermediate bar-like centralportion, and each of which joint strips interconnects two adjacentholding units by having the opposed head portions thereof matinglyengaged in the broader internal portions of the adjacent grooves on saidadjacent holding units, each of said holding units being engaged by atleast two of said joint strips, one in either groove thereof, in theabove-recited manner, whereby said holding units may be held togetherwith their lateral faces abutting and their first faces forming a spineor may be pivoted so that the first face of at least one of said holdingunits abuts against the first face of at least one other of said holdingunits, allowing a plurality of the adjoining pages held by said holdingunits to be successively swung in the same direction about 180* withrespect to each other in the manner of a normal book.
 2. A display bookas in claim 1 wherein said elastically deformable joint strips arereleasably mounted on said holding units, whereby the number of holdingunits in said display book can be easily varied.
 2. a plurality ofelastically deformable joint strips each of which comprises anintermediate bar-like central portion and opposed head portions whichare broader than the intermediate bar-like central portion, and each ofwhich joint strips interconnects two adjacent holding units by havingthe opposed head portions thereof matingly engaged in the broaderinternal portions of the adjacent grooves on said adjacent holdingunits, each of said holding units being engaged by at least two of saidjoint strips, one in either groove thereof, in the above-recited manner,whereby said holding units may be held together with their lateral facesabutting and their first faces forming a spine or may be pivoted so thatthe first face of at least one of said holding units abuts against thefirst face of at least one other of said holding units, allowing aplurality of the adjoining pages held by said holding units to besuccessively swung in the same direction about 180* with respect to eachother in the manner of a normal book.
 3. A display book as in claim 1wherein page members may be positioned within said holding units andbent greater than 90* to lock said page members in place.
 4. A displaybook as in claim 3 where the holding units have protruding studs forseating the bent portion of the page member.
 5. A display book as inclaim 1 wherein each of said holding units comprises a base portion anda pair of flexible legs, one of said legs having a cross-sectional Lshape.
 6. A display book as in claim 5 wherein said flexible L leg has aprotruding stud portion on the base of the L and said page members arepositioned within said holding units and are bent greater than 90* tolock the page member in place by engaging the end of the page memberwith said stud portion.
 7. A display book as in claim 5 wherein the oneof said pair of flexible legs which does not have a cross sectional Lshape is straight and said straight leg has a locking stud thereonadapted to engage a hole in one of said page members.
 8. A display bookas in claim 5 wherein at least one of said holding units furtherincludes a pair of lip members for engaging one of said page members. 9.A display book as in claim 5 wherein said holding units are arranged sothat said L shaped legs are staggered with respect to each other.
 10. Adisplay book as in claim 5 wherein said holding units are positioned sothat the L shaped legs of each holding unit are facing another L shapedleg of another holding unit.
 11. A display book as in claim 1 furtherincluding a pair of cover members respectively fastened to each end of aplurality of holding units and a latch member capable of interconnectingthe cover members at the free end of the page members.
 12. A displaybook as in claim 11 wherein said latch member includes a pair of lidmembers pivotally fastened respectively to each cover member.
 13. Adisplay book as in claim 12 wherein one lid member is releasablyfastened to the other lid member.
 14. A display book as in claim 12wherein one lid member has a handle portion.